Smart SoCs drive 3G-to-4G transition

Douglas Pulley, Mindspeed Technologies
EETimes (6/4/2012 4:35 PM EDT)

The solution for delivering today’s escalating broadband mobile network traffic is to deploy many more basestations, closer to the user. To accomplish this, the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard includes the concept of the multiradio-access-technology heterogeneous network (multi-RAT HetNet), which combines big, traditional basestations with small cells. HetNets will reduce carriers’ reliance on large, macro basestations wherever they need coverage, and will enable mobile operators and end customers alike to increase capacity where needed.

In order for the model to work from an economic standpoint, these small cells must be inexpensive; thus they require dual-mode, multicore system-on-chip integration.

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